Bad Trader: @bstyle

It is with great reluctance that I come here to open this up, but I can only play along with this for so long before it starts to feel like I've been rather naive.

I'm not naming names yet. I've traded with this individual once before last year, and had a perfectly good experience. Quite generous, fantastic communication with friendly dialogue, etc...

I got in touch with said individual about the possibility of a trade with Christmas coming up. They got back to me, agreed, and turned the communication over to texting. It was essentially a blind trade, though there is one beer that was promised, which I was unbelievably grateful for. I purchased 99.9% of the beer for their box - roughly $100 worth, shipped out - roughly $30, and was perfectly fine with waiting for them to put a box together. A few beer names were tossed around, the one promised bottle reassured, and multiple times i was told that this box was going to rock my socks off. I made it clear that going overboard was not necessary, and I'd be happy with a $4$ trade.

Communication stayed consistent for two months - mostly just dicking around and talking beer and trade culture. Frankly, I quite like the guy, and fully trusted him, but after two months of, "shipping tomorrow", "definitely shipping on Monday", and working around some freezing temperatures here, I've become highly suspicious. I did finally speak up a bit, and requested a specific date to be shipped, which was agreed to, but didn't come through ( claimed they were busy - likely could have been), and requested a second date, to which I was told it was shipped, with an ETA of yesterday (2/26) according to the tracking - which I have yet to see. No box yesterday, no box today, and no significant inclement weather that would delay a package by a day, let alone two.

The problem is, I still want to trust this guy, and he's not exactly a newcomer here. I've talked quite a bit with him, called on him for trade advice, and he just seems like an overall good person, but I've been screwed enough to know what getting screwed feels like, and it's starting to feel like I'm getting screwed. I'm pretty sure my trade reputation will take a hit any day now due to delinquent feedback (which is also something I brought up in conversation). I've received no reply since requesting tracking info yesterday.

I really don't want to "Bad Trader" this person. Their feedback is spotless, I had a good experience once before, and I genuinely respect this individual as a person and fellow BeerAdvocate, but I'm starting to wonder if I've been conned here.

What do you guys think? I don't want anyone digging around to try to find out who this is, because I do not, and I repeat, DO NOT WANT THEM PUBLICLY CALLED OUT OR NAMED JUST YET. I want some advice first, and I'm willing to wait this out a little longer, but I've felt this post coming for a little while now, and I'm beginning to feel that it's necessary at this point.

I really hope that they don't see this post, but if you are, and you know who you are, I respect you man, I really do, and I hope you're just dealing with some stuff that you have good reason to not divulge (god knows I have my own issues right now), but communicate with me. I mean zero disrespect, and I'd love to keep an open beer relationship between us.

I would love to be proven wrong here, and not take a $130 bath. Tell me what you think.

Cheers.

 

I'm really saving that at a last resort. This isn't just some random trader - I've spent a great deal of time just talking with them for over a year. It's almost like throwing your friend under the bus.

I fully acknowledge that you're likely right, and that my inability to stand up for myself is an issue here. I'm hoping maybe I'm totally in the wrong here, and that everyone thinks I'm being paranoid about this. I'm not sure what the point is either - I'm hoping to figure that out here.

 

The issue was kind of just dodged. Mostly just multiple promises to ship, and often a quick change of subject. Only one excuse - more recently, when I asked if they shipped, and they said, no, they got caught up, will ship Monday. That was quite a few Mondays ago.

 

No, you're entirely right. I think I'm just in denial, and I'm forever cursed to giving people the benefit of the doubt. I'd just hate to put someone on blast here and forever tarnish their reputation if they have a valid reason for the delay. Then again, a valid reason would have likely been explained.

I'll let this wait until Monday after addressing this personally again, and if I don't get tangible evidence of a box, I will bite the bullet and tag them here, unless someone suggests I'm in the wrong here. Thanks.

 

I'll take the necessary actions come Monday, if this still isn't addressed. I just hate to be that person, and burn bridges like this.

I think you quoted someone - I can't see it. I only have one person on this site ignored, and I'm guessing his comment probably had something to do with my post being too long, or finding something to complain about.

There are two people I regularly trade with where we'll often send a request a bit late, or even after the boxes ship. I trust both of them unconditionally, and think of one as a friend. Otherwise, proper protocol is always followed. The trade request has been open for over two months. I still haven't received feedback from his end.

 

My apologies to him then, I shouldn't have automatically assumed there was a snarky comment.

Yes. 100%. Before anything was established.

 

At this point, I'll probably just go through the motions of the thread. I wanted to establish whether or not I was really in the right to move forward with this, or if anyone thought I should be more patient. Clearly, there is an overwhelming response to move forward with this. That has been helpful.

I wanted to wait until Monday to give him a chance to address the issue. I suppose that's pretty lenient. A box isn't going to be delivered on the weekend, so if it doesn't land by 6pm this evening, I will tag him. Either way you cut it, I still feel absolutely horrible for having to do this. I'm not worried about "hurting his feelings", we're all men here, and hopefully not that juvenile. I'm worried about hurting his reputation, as well as making myself look like some high-strung fool for having to create a thread over this. Evidently, I shouldn't be worried about that.

Your reply has been helpful. The unanimous opinion is to tag him, so if nothing shows up today, I'll tag him. I guess I just needed a little nudge from the community.

 

A few alterations, and yes, I would say you have that down pretty solid. The box was reportedly shipped on the 22nd, from Indiana to Maine. I've sent a box or two to Indiana in my trading history, and outside of Christmas season and snowstorms, 3-4 days is the travel period. It has been 7.

 

I was not given a tracking number. I was told there was in fact a tracking number, and when I asked about the ETA when it didn't show up, he said he'd check it, but I have not actually received anything from the trader in question, other than his word.

 

Obviously, if I were in possession of tracking information, there wouldn't even be a thread here. Perhaps I wasn't clear on that.

·Trade agreed to two months ago - requests sent and accepted
·Communication and details of the trade discussed
·I sent my box
·Trader received my box, feedback was never provided for me
·More discussion regarding the trade, told a box was put together.
·Box was not shipped. At several points, I requested that shipping be delayed due to freezing temperatures, which was agreed on.
·Good weather comes, asked to ship, agreed. At this point, I understand there to be a box packed and ready to go.
·A couple of dates promised, a few excuses (he left the box at home when it was supposed to be in the car, he got caught up with something, all seemingly innocent, valid reasons
·Multiple request to ship to work around the weather, all agreed to without issue
·A couple more dates given, none materialised
·Another date promised - after asking, was told the box was shipped, but no tracking info,was given (this was 7 days ago)
·Requested tracking info when box didn't arrive, have not received a reply since.

This is where we are now. Hopefully this helps a little.